SEPTEMBER 2023 | DR. CHRISTINA KISHIMOTO
Dr. Kishimoto sits down with Rhode Island Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green to hear about her tenure leading in the top seat. As a latina, with deep family roots in the Dominican Republic, Commissioner Infante-Green shares some of the challenges of being accepted as a New Yorker as she took on her public leadership role in Rhode Island. After four years though, she has demonstrated deep commitment to the students, teachers, leaders and community in Rhode Island.
Prior to assuming the Commissioner role, Angélica served as Deputy Commissioner of Education in the State of New York. She has a long history in New York as a student, teacher, and leader. Angélica is passionate about equity of access for all students across community types from rural education to urban education, and regardless of financial means. As you listen to her interview you will learn about Angélica’s non-negotiables in public education from the need to listen deeply to and often from students, to the need for equity-focused policies that provide equitable access to quality education and programming to all students, to a responsibility to be data-focused and data-responsive.
Angélica shares some of the deliverables of her team, Governor and legislator to ensure that “zip code doesn’t matter anymore in Rhode Island” because now STEM, second language learning, college application support and other rigorous support, services and programs are accessible to all students regardless of family and community wealth. In closing, Angélica shares her advice to new leaders in state level seats to “be yourself.” She also shares her thoughts on the importance of having a trusted network of friends in leadership. Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green is September’s featured equity warrior!
Watch the conversation with Dr. Kishimoto and Dr. Angélica Infante-Green on YouTube below.
